Proton Drive
Legacy zero-access encrypted cloud drive
A good fit when the job is familiar drive sync, photo backup, mobile access today, and everyday zero-access legacy cloud-drive storage.
A private cloud drive, divided by design.
Photon Vault can replace your cloud drive for your complete file collection without putting it all behind one privacy boundary. Create independent client-side encrypted Vaults for personal files, clients, projects, teams, and family data, then sync each Vault to its own local folder or data set.
Browser and desktop workflows for secure file handling. Native mobile apps are planned.
PhotonFile
Private cloud drive with isolated Vaults
A better fit when a single cloud drive should hold everything while each Vault remains an independent privacy boundary, on the cloud and on your desktop.
Availability
Browser and desktop
Use PhotonFile in the browser or native desktop app. Native mobile apps are planned.
Privacy model
Keep your whole collection private, without one giant privacy boundary.
Photon Vault protects files with client-side encryption, and Photon does not hold the keys needed to decrypt your Vaults. Instead of treating this as a reason to keep only selected files, use Vault as your private cloud drive and place the hard boundaries where you need them.
The single-tree sync problem
Folders organize your files. Vaults isolate them.
Traditional cloud storage can place every folder under one broad privacy boundary. Photon Vault lets you decide where the hard boundaries go: personal files, clients, projects, teams, devices, or family data. Vault Sync keeps those boundaries clear by mapping each Vault to a different local folder or data set.
Vault Sync
Sync different folders into different Vaults.
PhotonFile Desktop maps each Vault workspace or shared scope to its own local folder or data set. Keep client, project, and team boundaries separate on disk instead of treating every folder in one cloud drive as the same privacy boundary.
Proton Drive
Best when a traditional legacy zero-access cloud-drive sync model is the main requirement.
- • Familiar drive-style file access
- • Mobile apps and photo backup today
- • Strong fit for legacy personal cloud-drive workflows
PhotonFile Desktop
Better when each client, project, team, or shared scope should be an independent Vault with its own sync boundary.
- • Choose a local folder per Vault workspace/scope
- • Pause, resume, change folder, or sync now
- • Keep Vault boundaries aligned with local folders
Which product shape fits your work?
| What you need | Stronger fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Live transfer without making storage the default | PhotonFile Relay | Relay is a dedicated live-transfer path for immediate handoff. |
| Secure upload intake from clients, vendors, or partners | Vault Intake | Vault Intake receives files without exposing unrelated Vault contents. |
| Separate desktop sync folders by client, project, or team | PhotonFile Desktop | Vault Sync maps each Vault workspace or shared scope to a separate local folder or data set. |
| Private cloud drive with scoped sharing | Photon Vault | Store your full collection in client-side encrypted Vaults, then share only the Vaults that belong with a project or team. |
| Mobile apps, photo backup, and broad legacy cloud-drive access today | Proton Drive | PhotonFile mobile apps are coming soon; Proton Drive is the better fit when legacy mobile cloud-drive access is the main job today. |
| Traditional legacy cloud-drive sync model | Proton Drive | If you mostly want an old school encrypted drive, that is exactly what Proton Drive is designed to be. |
| One platform for transfer, intake, sync, and storage | PhotonFile | Photon Transfer moves files. Photon Vault keeps them in isolated privacy boundaries. |
Live transfer instead of stored handoff
Use Relay when both sides are ready now and the file should move without adding it to your cloud drive.
Vault Intake instead of exposed folders
Collect uploads from external senders without exposing unrelated Vault folders or asking them to join your workspace.
Vault Sync per workspace or scope
Map separate Vault boundaries to separate local folders or data sets in the native desktop app.
Your cloud drive, divided by Vault
Keep your complete collection in one private cloud drive, with independent Vaults wherever you want real isolation.
Where PhotonFile pulls ahead
- Private by design: Vault keeps your complete collection client-side encrypted while PhotonFile separates transfer, intake, sync, and storage into the right path for the job.
- Independent Vaults: live transfer, intake, sync, and storage do not force every file into one privacy boundary.
- Per-Vault sync: each Vault workspace or shared scope can keep its own local desktop sync folder or data set.
- Secure intake: Vault Intake is first-class, not a workaround around a shared folder.
- Two connected paths: Photon Transfer moves files. Photon Vault keeps them.
- Account Region Move: when jurisdiction, business location, or data-center ownership needs change, PhotonFile has a documented account region move workflow.
- No per-seat team tax: eligible PhotonFile team workspaces run under the owner's plan.
When Proton Drive may still fit better
Choose Proton Drive if your main requirement is a legacy encrypted drive that acts like a single storage layer across devices.
Choose PhotonFile when you want a private cloud drive for the full collection, plus live delivery, secure intake, and sync that maps each local folder or data set into its own Vault boundary.
Choose the PhotonFile workflow
Compare file models
Choose when to send live, collect through Vault Intake, sync by
Vault, or keep files in your private cloud drive.
Vault overview
See how isolated Vaults handle your full collection, sharing,
intake, and per-Vault sync.
Vault Intake
Give clients an upload page while keeping the workspace out of
view.
Use PhotonFile when your cloud drive needs real privacy boundaries.
Photon Transfer moves files. Photon Vault keeps them. Store and sync your complete collection while isolating personal, client, project, team, and family data in separate Vaults.